An increasing number of complaints of animal neglect and cruelty in Gympie has lead to charges on cases like that of puppies April and Soot, who had their leg amputated after their owners neglected to treat them.

Goomeri was the worst out west (10 complaints), and Kandanga (11), Imbil (10) and Amamoor (9) had the most reports in the Mary Valley.

Gympie was the site of 84 complaints of animal neglect and cruelty in 2019.

RSPCA investigator Julia Steley said the jump was more likely the result of higher public awareness rather than an increase in crime.

However the reports had led to a number of prosecutions, including one case in which three-month-old puppies April and Soot (pictured) both had to have a back leg amputated.

"They both ended up with the same broken leg at the same time, which is very unusual," Ms Steley said.

The dogs unfortunately lost their legs as "their injuries had already been two weeks old".

The RSPCA ended up seizing the dogs.

Two brothers, then 28-year-old Tristan Webb and then-19-year-old Kia John Allen Reed, were prosecuted.

Monkland man, Tristan Webb was convicted in the Gympie Magistrate's Court with animal neglect on Tuesday May 27.

Webb pleaded guilty in Gympie Magistrates Court in May to two counts of failing to provide appropriate treatment for injury and one of failing to provide appropriate food and water for his puppy (April).

Reed pleaded guilty last January to the same charges.

Webb was ordered to pay $8000 in fines, and prohibited from owning animals for two years.

Reed was placed on nine months' probation, ordered to pay $27872.82 to the RSPCA, and banned from owning a dog for a year.

No convictions were recorded.

Ms Steley said both dogs ended up finding new homes.

Most complaints of animal neglect were resolved through advice to the owner from the RSPCA.

Speaking generally, she said complaints fell into two categories: neglect and cruelty. The latter was harder to prove and prosecute.

"Someone has to see it," she said.

Of the complaints made, she said only a small percentage needed no action to be taken.